Opinion: Don't ride with brights on.

[K9]

Yes sapaul, pleas let us know what you notice the cagers doing when you use the modulator. I hope you get it out of customs soon, I would think explaining how it works with motorcycle headlights to make you safer would be the end of it but then I know nothing of customs and procedures. Good Luck

[safety-boy]

I have to pass a Wal-Mart most days... One of those parking lots with one "right" exit and one "left" exit, but there are always four cars jammed in there (talk about splitting lanes!). If I happen to be in front of traffice, or for some reason alone... I high beam and point at them a tad (not enough to appear to be turning). Deer in the headlights.

I run my highbeams until I can see that the highbeam indicator is lit (got an old/dim panel). Turn them down in the daytime when riding behind another bike.

Was going to mentione the modulator, but forgot what it was called, then saw it posted right below me - As mentioned before, high beams, loud clothes, honk horn, be seen. You kinda have to worry just about you when you are the one on the bike.

--Dave

[sapaul]

HAHAHAHAH got the modulator via fedex at 19:20 last night, got the chance to fit it and go for a little ride today. WHOOO WHOOO this thing most definitly gets you noticed. I was coming down a two lane that has a nasty merge and you always have to be carefull, a 320 BMW pulled out in front of me and then immediatly pulled over to the breakdown lane to let me pass. Further on, cars moved over and I noticed oncoming traffic was looking at the bike. This is not something that has been seen here. Kriss.com told me that I was the first South African order that they had. Most impressed, it was easy to install, worked as they said it would. I can have normal beam, high beam with modulator and when it gets dark the lights work as normal. Must try to get a small vid of this.

[slurp812]

high beams are in addition to being a bit brighter, aimed higher, wich can be a bad thing for you, and the person staring into your lights. I rarely use my high beams. IMHO...

[MrGompers]

I ride daily through hectic LA, (downtown, Hollywood, westside), traffic. I flash my brights at intersections, or when someone is poised to make a turn in front of me. On several occasions I've had cars 'panic stop' when I did this.

As a driver a constant bright light did nothing for me. Not in this traffic climate. Plus, it runs down your battery.

Not sure what happens in LA. Here in Conn if you flash your hi beams at someone you are yielding the right of way to them. (this isn't coded into law just the way people understand it around here) Therefore, I don't do it on a bike.

[dieziege]

As far as I know around here (LA) flashing your headlights is a way to get people to throw things at you or try to run you off the road... I don't think anybody knows what "right of way" means. Four-way stops are funny as hell... everyone just sort of stops, goes, and then gets pissed because everyone else is in their way.

[MrGompers]

As far as I know around here (LA) flashing your headlights is a way to get people to throw things at you or try to run you off the road... I don't think anybody knows what "right of way" means. Four-way stops are funny as hell... everyone just sort of stops, goes, and then gets pissed because everyone else is in their way.

Yea that can be entertaing to say the least. I usually just go first and give the one finger salute to anyone who objects.

[swatter555]

As a driver a constant bright light did nothing for me. Not in this traffic climate. Plus, it runs down your battery.

Running your high beam during the day is a great idea and it is recommended buy any MSF. Flashing you high beam does make you more visible, but sends mixed messeges to cagers.

Also, running your high beam wont drain your battery unless your engine is off.

It can send mixed messages I would imagine. Maybe to counter any mixed messages, you should flash your brights quickly on and off several times, rather than a single flash. I can see how a single flash could be mis-interpreted.

[BubbaGump]

"They flash continuosly at 4-10 times per second, so it's more like a pulsating strobe effect, than a one time flash. They show up a long way off. I saw one coming on a
country road a few years ago, and wondered when it was ever going to get here."

I checked into both headlight and LED modulators. One manufacturer has an excellent link around the laws both in the US and Canada. You can read up on it below. As far as effectiveness, everyone I have talked to who has them says they notice a huge difference after installing them. I think anything to make us more visibile will only increase our margain of safety.

Here's the link: http://kriss.com/modrules.htm

[The Grinch]

Just wanted to re-itterate for our Canadian members, headlight modulators, wig-wags, or whatever you want to call them are illegal up here unless displayed by an emergency vehicle.

This seems to be contradicted by this: http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/Motorcycle- ... canada.htm

(See S7.9.4)

Have the Canadian laws regarding modulators been changed recently?